AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Cesc Fabregas is a product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy, and started the early stage of his career with Barcelona before moving to Arsenal, and then back again to Barcelona before joining Chelsea.

Fabregas has a close relationship with the likes of Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique, but he admitted that their friendship ends once the game begins.

Fabregas said: “I have big friends, friends that I played with since I was 13 years old. I speak to some of them nearly every day, even when I don’t play against them, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be about football. Probably now the contact is a bit less, probably unconsciously because of the game coming up.

“We are old friends but when we are on the pitch they will try to beat me and I will try to beat them. For me, friendship is a fantastic thing but in football, when you play against each other, it clearly changes.”